Christmastime is Killing Us
by NeneJPhilly
Summary: Christmas is hard on everyone. It’s even harder when youre trying to propose. (Love You Universe) (COMPLETE)
1. Snowbells Ring

Jinx checked her communicator. "Where are they?! They were supposed to be home an hour ago!"

"They'll be here, babe." Kid Flash threw down a card. "Beat that!"

Nightwing laid down a card. "Consider it beaten."

Changeling laughed. "He beat that!"

"Listen to me!" Jinx sat on Kid Flash's lap.

"Babe, Cyborg and Bumble Bee will be home when they get home." Kid Flash kissed her cheek.

She hit his chest lightly and sighed. "I'm calling her!"

"Babe!" He wrestled for her communicator. "No!"

"Jinx calling Bumble Bee! Come in, Bumble Bee!" Jinx yelled.

"No!" Kid Flash ended up on the floor with her on his back. "Wait. How'd this happen?"

"Come in, Bumble Bee!" Jinx made sure he stayed on the floor.

"What?!" Bumble Bee came over the feed. Her visual stabilized.

Jinx brightened before glowering. "Where are you?!"

"Where are you?!" The older girl tossed back.

"I'm at home! Where you should be!"

"I am at home!"

"What?!"

Nightwing and Changeling grimaced to cover up their smiles. This would be good.

"What do you mean you're at home?!" Jinx roared.

"What does being at home mean, Jinx?" Bumble Bee asked dryly.

Jinx saw red. "When did you get home?!"

"I don't know! An hour ago?!"

Pink energy seeped from Jinx.

"Babe?" Kid Flash couldn't see her face but could feel a shift in the air.

"Get up here." Jinx ignored him.

"No." Bumble Bee didn't care.

"Get up here _now_."

"Please just go see what she wants." Cyborg sighed off screen.

"She ain't the boss of me!" Bumble Bee scoffed.

"The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back."

"That's true. Alright, harridan, I'm coming." Bumble Bee rolled her eyes. "Bumble Bee out."

Jinx closed her communicator calmly and got off her boyfriend.

Kid Flash stood and watched her warily. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She wasn't fine.

"Maybe you should calm down before she gets here?" Raven suggested as she flipped through her book. "No one wants to hear a screaming match."

"Please do not do the fighting." Starfire chewed on her lips. "I dislike your aggression so."

"You're not going to make us choose sides, are you?" Terra worried.

"I'm calm." Jinx lied. "I'm calm."

"No, you're not." Raven set aside her book. "I should check on Sebastian. This might wake him from his nap."

"Sit!" Jinx stabbed a finger in her direction. "Nobody's going anywhere and we're going to have a nice, rational conversation."

"I'm here. What do you want?" Bumble Bee flew into the common room.

"Why didn't you tell us you got in an hour ago?" Jinx asked between clenched teeth.

"Why would I? You're not my keeper." Bumble Bee landed and set her hands on her hips.

Jinx blew her top. "How dare you?! You said you'd call when you got in and you didn't call! Anything could have happened and- and- where are you going?!"

Bumble Bee tossed up a hand as she walked back up the steps. "I'm not about to sit up here and listen to this. I got things to do."

"Hey!"

"Bye."

"We got a letter, you traitor!"

"I got a few more for you."

Changeling laughed before clapping a hand to his mouth.

Jinx glared at him. "A letter from Child Services."

Bumble Bee turned on her heel and flew over quickly. "What's it say?! What's it say?!"

"Oh, _now_ you want to know?"

"Of course I want to know. You might be acting like the Wicked Witch of the West but I still want you to have your child."

"I've been calling you to get you home so we could tell you! We haven't opened the letter yet."

"What are you waiting on?!"

"You and Tin Man!"

"Why?!" That eluded Bumble Bee.

"You're our best friends. We want to share this news with all of our best pals." Kid Flash smiled.

"You idiots!" Bumble Bee sassed. "You read that important info! Don't wait on us! It could say something really important!"

"Well get Tin Man up here so we can see!" Jinx shooed her off.

Bumble Bee shook her head and rolled her eyes before flying out.

"That was a lot less painful than I anticipated." Raven quipped.

"I doubt its sincerity." Nightwing added.

"Stop that!" Starfire frowned. "Our friends reached an understanding with less fighting and I for one am very satisfied with the outcome!"

"Where's your hormones, Sis?" Changeling raised a brow.

Starfire calmed herself. "Coursing through my body."

"They need to act like it."

She was very confused until she began giggling. She floated and flipped upside down, her red hair trailing over the couch. "Oh no."

"There's the giggling ghost."

"I assure you I am no apparition, brother."

"It's a colloquial." Nightwing explained. "It just describes your hormones."

Starfire's pregnancy hormones made her giggle at the most odd of times, which in turn made her float, even when she wanted to walk.

The doors to the common room opened and Bumble Bee was back with Cyborg. "Okay, we're here! Rip that paper!"

"I am not the jovial specter, am I?" Starfire asked with wide eyes.

"What?" Bumble Bee stared at her.

"Giggling ghost." Nightwing clarified.

Her eyes widened momentarily. "Yes."

"Oh." Starfire moaned before giggling.

Cyborg patted her arm. "So we're here for what exactly? Ripping paper?"

"What did you tell him?" Kid Flash wondered.

"That you had news that couldn't wait." Bumble Bee sat on the couch.

"Well we do!" Jinx snatched up the letter. "Where're the boys? They're not going to interrupt, are they?"

"They're taking naps. Go on! Read us the letter!"

"Okay! Okay!" Jinx ripped open the envelope and yanked out the letter.

Kid Flash read over her shoulder. "Yes! Yes!"

Jinx began jumping. "Yes! Yes!"

"Well don't keep us in suspense." Cyborg said.

Raven smirked. "Does this mean we get to open champagne?"

"Yes!" Jinx screamed. "Not only did we pass our last inspection, they have a list of children they think we'll like! We just have to make time to check some out!"

The girls surrounded her and celebrated while the guys congratulated Kid Flash. Both were extremely proud of themselves.

Furniture started rising in onyx and forest energy.

Raven broke away. "Sebastian feels your excitement."

"I didn't mean to wake him up but I'm just so happy!" Jinx really was.

"I'll calm him." Raven dragged Changeling behind her.

"We're really happy for you guys." Nightwing clapped Kid Flash on the back.

Kid Flash felt very satisfied with his life. "Thanks, dude. I'm really happy, too."

 ** _#happyholidays_**

"Hey?" Changeling spoke up at breakfast the next day. "Who wants to go with me to pick up my mom from the airport?"

"Me! Me! Me!" Charlotte leaned on him.

"I can go with you." Cyborg shrugged. "Nana wants me to go pick her up but she can drive."

"You don't want to pick up Nana?!" Terra was offended.

"She can drive!"

"She wants to spend time with you." Bumble Bee flew over to the playpen to check on Marco. "For a genius, you're a different type of special."

Changeling, Nightwing and Kid Flash fell out laughing. Jinx laughed outright with Terra giggling. Raven smirked.

"Please, how many types of special are there?" Starfire had never heard of different ways to be special.

"Just two." Bumble Bee kissed her baby.

"I am not special!" Cyborg glared.

"Did I hurt your feelings?"

"No!"

"Then you're real special."

The boys fell out anew.

Cyborg blushed. "That's really mean."

"I'm sorry. You're not special. You're not special at all." Bumble Bee shook her head.

"That's worse!"

"What do you want from me, Sparky?! I'm trying to apologize!"

"It just sounds like you're talking about me."

"I never knew you were so thin-skinned."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I am _not_ thin-skinned!"

"Then stop crying. Go get Nana. I have no idea why she wants to see you."

"Stop drinking lemonade, you're turning sour."

"Weak. Get out."

"I will!" He stomped out. He stomped back in and grabbed Changeling, who was holding Charlotte. Then he stomped back out.

Nightwing, Kid Flash and Jinx laughed.

"I love when you two fight." Jinx walked over to the mother.

"We're not fighting. We just had a difference of opinion." Bumble Bee went to sit down with Marco.

"Apathy might be your core emotion but he was actually mad." Raven spoke up.

Bumble Bee sighed. "I really hate apologizing."

"Then don't do it." Jinx fell onto the couch.

"Friend!" Starfire jammed her fists on her hips. "How could you say that?! If Friend Cyborg's feelings are hurt, she assuredly must apologize!"

Jinx scoffed.

"That's what I have to live with." Kid Flash hit Nightwing's arm gently.

Jinx turned and her eyes promised retribution.

"See?" He got up and ran out.

"Your fights are funny, too." Nightwing smirked. "Come on, Chris. Let's go see if we can find your scary Uncle Wally and convince him to lift weights with us."

Christopher hopped out of his chair and took his dad's hand. "Bye!"

The girls all waved as the two left.

"I still say you shouldn't apologize." Jinx sniffed as she relaxed.

"I'm not above apologizing when I'm wrong. I just try not to be wrong. But it happens. Living beings are wrong from time to time. Some of them often. It's a side effect of living." Bumble Bee frowned as she looked for the remote.

"That is quite wise of you." Starfire floated over.

"No one's right all the time and if they say they are, they're a liar."

Raven smirked. "You tell Cyborg all the time that you're always right, even when you're wrong, you're always right."

"I'm just quoting a movie." Bumble Bee brightened when she found the remote between the cushions. "Come on, Cal! Want to watch _Little Einsteins_?!"

"Yay!" Calvin hovered above his chair and flew over. He landed on the couch and sat on his legs.

Bumble Bee switched Marco to her right arm and used the left to make Calvin sit on his bottom so he'd be more comfortable longterm. "Which one do you want to see?"

"I don't know." He admitted.

"Talking to you is like talking to Daddy…" Bumble Bee flipped through the **continue watching** thread on the kids stream on Netflix for the show all the kids enjoyed.

"See?! You're a bit mad! You shouldn't apologize!" Jinx just wanted to see more fireworks.

"I'm not mad."

"I can feel a bit of anger in you." Raven pointed out.

"I'm not mad _at him_."

"With whom are you angry?" Starfire asked.

"I'm not really mad at anyone. I'm just frustrated." She found the show and turned to a random episode.

"You never told us how your visit to see your sister went." Jinx grew serious.

Raven and Terra came over to sit and Terra spoke. "Did things not go well?"

Bumble Bee stared at the television while her emotions flared.

Raven went to get Sebastian out of his high chair and set him on her lap to calm. "You're feeling a lot of things. But the main one is-"

"Grief. I know." Bumble Bee cut her off.

"Yes."

"Hey? You know you can talk to us." Jinx bumped her shoulder. "I know you're like everyone's mom but we can listen to you."

Starfire and Terra agreed vocally while Raven nodded.

Bumble Bee pushed her emotions away and gave a wan smile. "Thanks, guys. It means a lot. But I'm going to go take a nap. Can you watch Cal for me-?"

"No, Mommy!" Calvin turned. "I go with you!"

"I'm just taking a nap. Don't you want to stay up?"

He really didn't want to take a nap but he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. He shook his head. "No."

"Okay then. Come on." She stood up and took his hand, lifting him off the couch and setting him on his feet on the floor. They ended up flying out together.

Jinx took over her spot as soon as the common room doors closed. "Something's going on with her!"

"Please don't meddle." Raven begged.

"I'm not going to meddle."

"You're going to meddle." Terra knew.

"Just a little bit." Jinx held her index finger and thumb an inch apart.

"Oh, Friend." Starfire sighed.

Jinx grinned. "It'll be great! I promise!"

 ** _#happyholidays_**

"Are you okay, dude?"

Cyborg lifted his sole brow and slid a glance towards his lime colored buddy before shaking his head and focusing on the road. "I'm fine."

"You're mad." Charlotte piped up from the back of the T-car.

"What is that?" Cyborg hooked a thumb at her. "She's been saying stuff like that for months."

"She's a kid. She's not stupid. She knows you're mad." Changeling shrugged.

"No, Daddy. I can feel it." Charlotte burst his lie.

Cyborg lifted that brow again.

"Alright, fine." Changeling cleared his throat. "We think her powers are growing. She's starting to get Rae's empathy."

"Great. Another empath."

"Don't be like that. I know I made a big fuss about Rae being one when we were younger but I didn't know how special it was. Rae's really good at it. Charlie will be, too."

Cyborg was silent. "I'm not too mad anymore."

"That's good."

"It wasn't even what she said. I've been called worse things. I'm a black half metal man. I've got thick skin."

"Then what was it?"

Cyborg shuffled his fingers over the wheel before relaxing. "It was her attitude. Like she didn't even care what she was saying. When we fight, she's usually as animated as me but this time,- she barely gave me any thought."

Changeling bit his lip. "I know how that feels. Rae's very dismissive. It hurts. We're finally figuring out that sometimes I flirt on purpose to make her mad. So she'll see me and become engaged with me. Even if it's a fight."

Cyborg made a face. "Really?!"

"Yeah. Raven's opinion always meant a lot to me and Kid was kinda right when Lian was born. I did do anything to get a reaction. I just wanted to be on her radar. I still do."

Cyborg nodded. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure."

"That means no telling, Charlie." Cyborg looked in the rearview.

"Okay, Uncle Vic." Charlotte nodded.

He blew out a breath. "I think she doesn't like me anymore."

"What?!" Changeling was blown away.

"I just get this feeling like she wants to be somewhere else, with someone else."

"That cannot be true." Changeling dismissed it.

"Just watch her. She barely looks at me anymore. I thought it was because she was pregnant but it hasn't gotten better."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Changeling frowned and turned his head. "How long have you been getting this vibe?!"

Cyborg blew out a breath. "I don't know. Months. I don't even know when it started but I know when I felt it. It was this summer. She was talking to me and I wasn't paying attention like usual-"

"Yes, you were." Charlotte cut in.

"Hey! It's my story; let me tell it!"

Charlotte wrinkled her nose at him. "Aunt Karen says you should almost always tell the truth."

"This is the almost!"

"Come on, dude." Changeling put a hand on his shoulder. "Play a game, Charlie. This is grown up talk."

"What game can I play in the backseat of a car?" Charlotte blinked.

He frowned. He forgot he and Cyborg had gone straight down to the garage after leaving the kitchen. "Count how many Santas you see on the way."

"Aunt Karen says never to trust a liar."

"Charlie!"

She crossed her arms and sat back with a heavy pout.

Changeling turned on the radio. "Go on. She was talking, you were ignoring her."

Cyborg sighed. "She's right. I was listening. I was just pretending I wasn't."

"Why?"

Cyborg blushed. "I don't know."

"I think you do."

"Do you need to count street Santas, too?"

"Okay, fine but you'll have to answer to that eventually."

"Can I just tell my story?!"

Changeling waved a hand.

Cyborg blew out an agitated breath. "She was talking and honestly I was slipping in and out. I waited for her to finish her thought about Jinx and Star arguing over the wedding and I realized she hadn't said anything for a while.

I looked at her and she was staring out the window with this look on her face-"

"Look? What look?" Changeling narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"I don't know. I don't even know how to describe it. It was like she was a million miles away. She was frowning a bit but she didn't look upset. I don't know. I'd never seen that look before."

"Have you seen it since?"

"Yeah. A lot. Especially when she was on bed-rest. She'd lay there and frown at the wall and if I brought attention to myself, she got upset. She really didn't want me anywhere around."

"Yeah but she was uncomfortably pregnant."

"When Marco was first born, it went away. We barely looked at each other at all. We were so focused on keeping him alive and Cal from having a meltdown all the time that it didn't matter. But now that it's been a couple months and we're all used to each other…-" Cyborg shrugged.

"The look is back?"

"Yeah."

"What about visiting her sister? How was she there?"

"She was happy. She and her sister were all smiles the whole week. She got along with Lauren's parents and kept the boys happy. It's just me she can't stand."

"She didn't spend any time with you in New Orleans?"

"I get that. We were there for her and Lauren to spend time together. They were inseparable. But I realized how much I don't know about her. I'm her boyfriend and other than when we had that big sappy group therapy session, she hasn't talked about her past.

She always said she came from a big family but that's literally it. I didn't even know how many brothers and sisters she had. I didn't know her parents names. I learned about Cal's name the same time as you guys. I didn't know her mom's name until last week.

Did you know that both of her parents were mixed?! Her dad was half black, half native. Her mom was half black, half Italian. I never knew! She explained to Lauren where her powers came from and where they were from period. I didn't know anything about it!"

"Wow! Really?!" Changeling was blown away. "She's so honest! She seems so open!"

"She talks a lot but I'm just figuring out that she doesn't say anything."

"How was she on the way back?"

"She didn't say anything to me. Literally not one word. The boys mostly slept and she looked out the window or had her eyes closed. And I know she wasn't asleep because she talks in her sleep."

"She talks in her sleep?" Changeling was amused.

"Yeah. It's kinda weird. She'll talk to you and it'll make sense. Like it's a real conversation where you think she's awake because obviously she hears you."

Changeling snickered. "I can't believe someone would do that!"

Cyborg looked at him.

"What?"

Cyborg stared at him before facing front and pulling into the parking lot of the airport.

"What?!"

Cyborg couldn't believe his avocado friend. "Let's just get your mom."

"I'm offended! What are you trying to say?!"

"You talk in your sleep, Daddy." Charlotte rolled her eyes.

For one, Changeling was shocked she heard them over the music. For another, he was shocked she said that. "No, I don't!"

"Okay, Daddy." She sighed as she unbuckled herself out of her car seat.

His mouth hung open as Cyborg's lips twitched. The cybernetic twenty one year old turned off the car and unlocked the doors.

Changeling was offended to his core. "I do not- do I talk in my sleep, Cy?!"

Cyborg got out of the car silently.

"Cy?! Cy?! Cy!" Changeling leapt from the vehicle.

"Do you really not know?" He opened the backdoor for Charlotte as he evaded the question.

Changeling gasped like an old southern woman.

"Here we go." Cyborg took Charlotte's hand and walked around the car to go inside the airport.

"I do not talk in my sleep!" Changeling shouted.

They ignored him and continued walking.

He stomped his foot before kicking it. He groaned and ran after them to catch up. He swung his daughter up into his arms. "How many Santas did you count?"

She kissed his cheek. "14."

 ** _#happyholidays_**

The girls groaned when the TV switched to the security feed. On it was Alan Wellington (the Green Lantern) and Clark Kent (Superman) and both had luggage.

"I'll let them in." Jinx stood.

"I'll go tell Bumble Bee Alan is here." Terra stood, too.

"Hurry back! We will still the program!" Starfire waved.

The blonde and pinkette walked out to the elevator. Terra got off at the second highest floor while Jinx rode to the bottom floor.

Jinx opened the front door. "Hey!"

"Hello, Jinx." Both men nodded. "Merry almost Christmas!"

"Merry almost Christmas."

"J'onn is here." Clark hooked a thumb behind himself. "He's just fascinated by the dollhouse on the lawn."

Jinx looked out and saw J'onn J'onzz (Martian Manhunter) inspecting the purple and white playhouse by the grove. "Why?"

"He's never seen one before." Alan smirked.

"A playhouse?"

"He thinks the dolls must be life-sized to fit." Clark grinned.

"You're playing a joke on him, aren't you?"

Clark and Alan laughed.

"Hey, Manhunter!" Jinx shouted. "That's not a dollhouse!"

J'onn looked over and faded into the ground, just to rise up in front of Jinx a second later. "It's not?"

"It's a playhouse." She shook her head.

"What is the difference?"

"A dollhouse is to put Barbie dolls in so the kid can with them and a miniature house. A playhouse is a house that's made for a kid. It's Charlie's."

J'onn digested that before turning to his friends, looking less than amused.

"It was a joke." Clark grinned. "Lighten up, J'onn. You're in danger of becoming like Bruce."

J'onn's face didn't lighten. It grew darker.

Alan snickered. "We're not calling you Batman. He has no sense of fun. But relax. It's just a joke. An innocent joke."

"Making a supposed friend feel foolish is an innocent joke?"

Both gulped. "Yeah?"

"Humph!" He turned and picked up his luggage. "Thank you for telling me, young Jinx. How are you this festive Earth season?"

Jinx bit her lip to keep from laughing at the shamed heroes' faces. "I'm good. I'm engaged now and in line to adopt a baby."

The men followed her inside and wished her well amongst congratulations.

"Thank you. Thank you." She smiled as she pressed the button for the elevator. "It's a really exciting time."

"I'm familiar with adoption." Clark said. "Do you need a good word for recommendations?"

"I normally wouldn't ask but Kid and I really want this. I'd seriously appreciate it."

"No problem."

They got on the elevator and rode it up.

"Changeling and Cyborg aren't here. They're picking up Nana and C's mom. Charlie's with them." Jinx relayed.

"They'll be back soon enough." Alan shrugged.

"Rae and Star's upstairs with us and Terra went to get Bumble Bee. She was taking a nap with Cal and Marco."

All the men nodded. They made it to the top floor and got out to walk to the common room.

Raven and Starfire were still there but now Terra was back with Bumble Bee, Calvin and Marco. "Hello!"

"Hello!" The men waved.

"You didn't go to your rooms?" Raven frowned slightly.

"I didn't even think to take them. I'm a bad host." Jinx sat down, obviously not caring about it.

Bumble Bee rolled her eyes before hugging Alan. "How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?" He hugged her back.

"I'm fine. Say hi, Cal."

"Hi, Grandpa." Calvin rubbed his eyes. Though resistant at first, he'd gotten into his nap.

"Sleepy, little one?" Alan rubbed the little boy's head.

Calvin nodded.

"And how's this one?" Alan took Marco from Bumble Bee.

"He's sleeping three hours at a time." Bumble Bee was proud of that.

"I couldn't imagine losing my sleep like that." Alan admitted.

Clark turned to him and pointed at his own face. "Conner doesn't sleep at all!"

Starfire giggled and squeezed his neck. "I am sorry, Father. But it is a testament to his fighting spirit, is it not?"

"He's definitely fighting me." Clark patted her arms. "How are you feeling? Is the pregnancy going well?"

"Oh yes!" She nodded happily and released him. "It is most pleasant for me!"

Raven and Bumble Bee slid her looks.

Jinx and Terra noticed and giggled.

"How are Sebastian and Charlotte doing?" J'onn picked up Sebastian.

"They're growing and learning more." Raven reported. "He's nearly mastered walking and he can say about ten words and most of our names. She's learning gymnastics and strengthening her powers and she's well on her way to mastering Spanish, French and Greek."

"Impressive!" Clark whistled. "She knows more at four than I do and I'm not even forty."

"She enjoys learning."

"How's Chris coming along?"

Starfire clapped, loving to dote on her brilliant son. "He can press the bench 150 pounds, he can walk wires 50 feet in the air, he speaks Tamaranean very well, he can count past 100 and do the maths very well and he knows how to control his vision of heat."

"Good boy!"

"He is learning new songs every day and he loves to play. Husband Nightwing is teaching him guitar."

Clark grinned. "He's going to get all the girls."

"Is Stone teaching Cal the drums? The boys can start a band and become rockstars." Alan teased.

Bumble Bee shrugged.

"Get all the girls?" Starfire was massively confused.

"He means Chris will have his pick of girlfriends." Jinx knew it'd make her head spin.

And it did. "No! No, no, no! Christopher is my own!"

"Kori." Clark refrained from laughing. "He's going to get a girlfriend one day."

"No!"

"You're not like about Cal, are you?" Alan asked the little boy's mother.

"Cal's going to be into dudes." Bumble Bee was like that.

Alan facepalmed. "You would force your son into being gay so he won't get a girlfriend?"

"Force sounds negative."

"Raven." Clark looked at her. "You wouldn't be like either of them, would you? You know that is completely illogical."

"Maybe so but I'd be the only woman in his life." Raven pointed out.

J'onn was confused. "Would he not have interaction with other women if he were homosexual?"

"But they wouldn't be as meaningful." Bumble Bee explained. "You only get one mother."

"You wouldn't stop being his mother just because he got a girlfriend." Alan said.

"If he married her, I would. _A man cleaves onto his wife and becomes one_." She quoted.

"Well!" Clark was shocked by these girls. Would Lois be like that? Was _his_ mother like that?

The common room doors opened and they heard a shout. "Grandpa!"

They turned to see Christopher flying over. Clark picked him up and shook him. "How's my boy?!"

Christopher laughed and kicked his feet. "I'm great! How are you?"

Clark set him on his feet. "I'm good! Have you been good for your mommy and daddy?"

"Uh huh! I carry Mommy now!"

"Huh?" Clark was confused.

"He realized there's a baby inside Star and he doesn't want her picking him up anymore so he picks her up and carries her." Nightwing explained.

"Oh wow! How are you, Nightwing?"

Nightwing shook his hand. "I'm good. You?"

Clark blew out a breath. "That kid is making me call my mom and apologize every few minutes."

Nightwing and Kid Flash chuckled.

"And we heard you two are engaged and adopting a kid." Clark told Kid Flash. "Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!" Alan and J'onn chimed in.

"Thanks!" Kid Flash beamed and went to Jinx to hug her. "My life is perfect!"

"Not without my super special dessert it's not!" Shirley "Nana" McCain sassed from the doors.

"Nana!" The others brightened.

"Grandpa!" Charlotte flew over to hug her grandfathers. "Grandpa!"

"Hi, Rita." Raven acknowledged Changeling's mother.

"Hello, Raven." Rita Farr (ElastiGirl) hugged her. "Hello, all. Hi, Bas!"

The baby squealed and the cabinets began opening and shutting.

"Hey, Pop!" Cyborg hugged Alan.

"How's life, Stone?" Alan ran a hand over the younger man's head.

Changeling wanted to hear this answer but Cyborg just shrugged with a smile. Changeling made a face before facing his father. "What's up, old man?"

"I'm young enough to keep up with you!" Clark put him in a headlock and ran his knuckles over his head.

"Hey! I'm gonna get a bald spot!" Ever since Starfire's adventure in the future, Changeling had been adamant about his hair.

"How are you, Changeling?" J'onn inquired.

Changeling fought to get away from his dad. "I'm great. I can't complain. How are you?"

"Work could be better."

Changeling blinked. Did the Martian make a joke? He grinned. "Alright!"

The group talked excitedly amongst themselves before Kid Flash sniffed around Shirley. "What's that?"

"I should have known you'd sniff it out." Shirley held up the cake container.

"It smells so good!" Christopher hovered around her.

"That's because it's my special three level double fudgy devil's food chocolate cake with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting."

The men began drooling.

"I made it this morning for Christmas dessert."

Nightwing elbowed Changeling. "She thinks it's making it to Christmas."

Changeling snorted. "She thinks it's making it to tomorrow."

 ** _NJPNJPNJP_**

 ** _Sorry I haven't been updating with new stories. I've been really sick and going through so much drama. But at least I'm here now, right?_**

 ** _I have written a few more stories. I'm all the way into the next year, nearly exactly one year from this story. So there's that._**

 ** _Keep the reviews coming and letting me know how you feel about the stories._**

 ** _Until next time!_**


	2. Snowflake

Nightwing finished making Jinx's and Shirley's teas before taking his coffee to the roof.

A minute later, Shirley arrived and saw Raven meditating. She smiled and made Rita a cup of coffee before getting to work on breakfast. Rita and Jinx walked in, quietly laughing and all three spoke.

Rita began telling them a story about Changeling when he was younger as Shirley made biscuits and Jinx fixed Cyborg's coffee.

Jinx finished and took her tea to go, snickering about her grass green gaming friend on the way.

"Okay, Nana." Rita set her coffee mug aside. "What are you making with your famous biscuits?"

"I'm frying up eggs and country ham (tofu bacon for our Gar)." Shirley said smugly. "Lola told me they have a bunch of jam from canning this harvest so there's sweet and savory."

"I cannot wait to eat." Rita was dead serious.

"Me either." Cyborg yawned as he stepped into the room, flipping through the newspaper.

"Good morning, Bugs." Shirley held her face out so he'd kiss her cheek. "How'd you sleep?"

"Mornin, Nana. Your grandson kept me up."

"Did he now?"

"Yeah, Marco screamed every three hours."

"I'm sorry to hear that, baby. Is something going on?"

"Hey, Ms. Rita." He grabbed his coffee and took a sip. "I don't know what his problem is. He reminds me of his brother. He just wants to be held."

"Good morning, Cyborg." Rita murmured. "I'm sorry to hear about your son. I thought things were going well with you. When Clark was complaining about Conner last night, you didn't say anything."

"There's not much to complain about. He wakes up screaming for food then screams for about half an hour then goes to sleep. Wakes up two and a half hours later to do it all over again."

"That's odd."

"Do you and Lola hold him while he's doing all this screaming?" Shirley asked.

"She won't let us." Cyborg began fixing Starfire's tea and Christopher's orange juice. "She's determined to break him like she did Cal."

"He's not a wild stallion. She didn't _break_ him."

"He can't get away with nothin."

"I had your mother trained from an early age." She washed her hands before putting the biscuits in the oven.

"And she married a corpse…"

"Stop that. Your mother was a good person and a good woman. I didn't have to approve of her choice but it was her choice. I don't know what she saw in your biological father but there wouldn't be a you without him so I'm grateful."

He smiled warmly. "Thanks, Nana. I guess I can be grateful, too. I happen to like living."

"I know that's right!"

 ** _#happyholidays_**

The doorbell rang after training so a still sweaty Changeling went to answer it. It was Melvin, Timmy and Teether. "Hey, guys!"

"You stink." Timmy said straightaway.

"I smell like a man." Changeling's voice dropped as he flexed.

Teether laughed. "I wanna smell like a man!"

"Well come on up and I'll put you to work!"

Melvin wrinkled her nose as her brothers cheered. "Where's Raven and the kids?"

"You don't want to smell like a man, Melvin?" Changeling teased.

"I'm a girl."

He smirked. "Need help bringing your stuff in?"

"Are you trying to say I'm not a girl?!"

"You definitely have girl brain."

"And what is that supposed to mean?!"

"Stop being so upset. Nana made biscuits for breakfast and there's plenty left over. You won't get any if you keep up _that_."

Melvin wanted to argue further but she did want biscuits. "Nana made them?"

"Yup. She made sandwiches with them but we ate all the savory ones."

"Changeling!" All three whined.

"She made sweet ones with jam and fresh cream."

Teether drooled. "I want that."

"Then I suggest you get in."

The kids grabbed their bags and Changeling helped with the gifts. They went up to the bedrooms and settled in before going up to the top floor.

"Nana!" The trio yelled.

"How are my children?!" Shirley was just as loud.

They ran to give her hugs. "How are you?!"

"I'm great now that I've gotten to see my love bugs!" She rocked with each hug.

"Nana, you're going to love my present." Teether told her.

"And you're going to love _my_ present." She tapped his nose.

He grinned.

Melvin went over to the playpen. "Hi, Bas! Hi, Marco! Where's Cal?"

"Probably in the bath." Changeling was in the kitchen, looking for food.

"Why's he taking a bath in the morning?"

"He worked up a sweat, training."

"Training?! He's two!"

"Yeah but he needs to strengthen his powers. He's not doing too much though." He brought out the leftover whipped cream and jam.

"That's insane."

"Everyone should know how to control their powers."

"I guess. Is that the biscuits?"

Changeling looked up, having forgotten he enticed them with bread. "No."

"Changeling!"

"Fine! Yes, it's biscuits."

"What are you doing, Gar?!" Shirley raised her voice.

Changeling stilled but Melvin smirked. "He's trying to keep me away from the biscuits!"

"Don't have me come in there and knock some sense into you! Share those biscuits with that baby!"

Melvin stuck her tongue out at the green shapeshifter as he sulked. "Yes, Nana."

 ** _#happyholidays_**

Nightwing picked up his communicator with one hand while still trying to smash buttons with his other. "Nightwing here."

"What are you doing?"

His concentration broke and he looked at his device. A loud screeching was heard and he looked back at the TV screen. His car was careening wildly away from the finish line. "Aww man."

"Are you not paying attention to me?!" Bruce Wayne (Batman) demanded.

Nightwing made a sound before giving him his attention. "What?"

"There's been a… situation with Damien."

"What'd you do to him?"

"Why do you automatically assume it was something _I did?! Selina, Alfred and Tim are all here!"_

"Who said I meant you as in you singularly?"

Bruce narrowed his eyes.

"What happened?" Nightwing smirked.

"He has a rash that won't go away and his idiot pediatrician refuses to answer our calls."

"Is it because you call every two minutes?"

"Richard!"

Nightwing chuckled. "Your best bet is to talk to Bumble Bee. I think she was a doctor in another life."

Bruce just looked at him.

"I'll get her." Nightwing rolled his eyes before lifting his voice. "Hey, Bumble Bee?! Are you still in here?!"

"Yeah, I'm here." She floated behind him.

"I forget how fast you are." He held out his communicator. "He has a problem."

"A?" She took the device.

Nightwing burst out laughing. So did everyone listening.

Bruce cleared his throat.

"Alright, what's going on?" Bumble Bee went back to her seat at the kitchen table.

"Damien has a rash."

"Where?"

"On his bottom." Bruce's color rose.

"Where specifically? The cheeks, the crack, near the crotch, where?"

Bruce would never admit to being embarrassed but he'd never spoken to someone like this. Well his doctor but that was embarrassing, too. "The cheeks."

"Okay, it could be nothing or it could be a diaper rash."

"A diaper rash? What is that?"

"A diaper rash is where the baby gets a rash from the diaper it's in not being changed often. A baby can't sit in its own mess for too long."

"You mean we're not changing his diaper enough?"

"Yes. There's a diaper brand that boasts that the baby will sleep through defecation and urine but that's not the best idea during the night. You need to change your baby often. It's easy to do during the day but at night, you're trying to sleep. A baby shouldn't be soiled for eight hours."

He grimaced. "So what do I do?"

"There's diaper rash cream at any drugstore. Put it on the area and keep it clean. Keep changing his diaper and applying the cream. It'll go away on its own."

Bruce took a breath. "You're a lot easier to talk to than Dr. Morret."

"He might just be burnt out on other patients. Or it might be you. Some of this stuff is common sense but people act brand new when they have a newborn. It can drive a person to drink."

"We're calling him too much, aren't we?"

"Probably."

"Then what should we do? Isn't that the point of a doctor? To ask questions about your health?"

"Whenever you get the urge to call him, take a minute to breathe. Then go through a mental checklist. Is Damien fed, is he wet, is he tired, is he gassy? Make sure that you go through that checklist to see if there isn't anything you can fix on your own. Then you call your doctor."

Bruce frowned. "You're very skilled at this."

"Came from a big family." She lifted a shoulder.

"I never thanked you for feeding him on Thanksgiving."

"No problem. Though he gnawed on me."

Jinx, Terra and Starfire giggled.

"Nonetheless, I thank you." Bruce ignored them. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yeah, adopt me." Bumble Bee joked.

Bruce shrugged. "Done."

Everything in the room stopped. They all turned to look at Bumble Bee, who looked shocked herself. "What?!"

"I can adopt you."

Bumble Bee's brain kept misfiring like a Packard from the 1950s. "You want to adopt me?"

"It'll be easy enough." He bobbed his head. "Both of your parents are deceased and you're an adult so I won't need to jump through as many hoops. Plus I'm rich so that'll definitely grease the wheels. I got the boys very easily. Even Tim and his father is alive."

Nightwing sped over. "What are you up to? Why do you want to adopt her?"

"I'm not "up to" anything. I've been thinking about this for a while. Adopting more children. Preferably a female. I thought I could start over with Damien but he's proving to be difficult and you three refuse to let go of the past. I need a child that'll see me in a better light. Besides, every man should have a daughter to spoil."

"I do." Clark and Changeling said in unison.

"See? If a backwoods Kentucky country boy can father a daughter, I can."

"You know what?!" Clark's eyes glowed.

"Calm down. It's nothing personal."

That surprisingly didn't calm Clark down.

Nightwing gave a heavy sigh. "Clark aside, she had a father. A human father."

"What are you trying to say?" Bruce demanded.

"That she doesn't want a reptile for a daddy!" Clark steamed.

"I'm not a reptile, you country bumpkin!"

"Stop calling me a bumpkin, you over privileged spoiled brat!"

"What is happening here?" Changeling was confused.

"Are you two done flirting or can I talk?" Bumble Bee raised a brow.

Both "mature" men flushed. "I am not flirting with him!"

"Your verbal foreplay is revealing but nobody wants to hear it."

Clark's jaw dropped before he snapped it closed. He pointed at her and moved his finger. "You're bad."

Nightwing peeked at his communicator in Bumble Bee's hand. Bruce's face made him light up internally. He wrapped an arm around Bumble Bee. "Please be my sister. I need you."

"Are you going to be Grandfather's daughter?" Christopher asked.

Bumble Bee cupped his chin. "We'll see."

"Aside from your defamation of character,-"

"I didn't say anything about your character but I could." She interrupted Bruce.

He huffed. "I like to surround myself with honest, intelligent people-"

"Honest?" Nightwing piped up.

"Yes!"

"You taught us to lie."

"Can I talk to her?!"

Nightwing raised his hands and walked away.

Bruce huffed again and started again. "I like to surround myself with honest, intelligent people. The boys are bright (mostly)-"

Nightwing turned sharply.

"And I would like very much for you to be my daughter. I'm very aware of your situation and I know you've been fatherless for quite some time. I haven't perfected being a father-"

Clark snorted.

Bruce's eye twitched. "But I will be the best I can be. I make it a mission to keep my word. I give you my word that I will be a better father to you than I was to the boys. What do you say?"

Bumble Bee was quiet and everyone leaned in to hear what she'd say when she opened her mouth. "As long as you adopt Jinx, too."

"Jinx?"

"Jinx?!" The others looked at the pink haired heroine.

"Me?!" Jinx was surprised.

"Yes, you." Bumble Bee nodded.

Bruce thought it over quickly. "Alright. Two for the price of one."

"What?!"

"That came out wrong." He said immediately.

Nightwing brightened at hearing a fearful, humble tone from the man.

"What do you say, Jaybird?" Bumble Bee looked at her.

"A chance to be Batman's daughter?!" Jinx scoffed. "Of course I say yeah!"

"Then I accept your proposal." Bumble Bee told Bruce.

Who nodded. "My lawyer will get on that."

"Wait!" Jinx threw out a hand. "Since you're doing this and I totally won't ask for any more favors but can you give us a recommendation for Social Services?"

"Social Services? For whom?"

"Kid and I are trying to adopt."

Bruce thought it over. "It wouldn't be a hardship. I fear I don't know too much about women so your presents will be late and generic."

"Presents? What presents?" Bumble Bee was confused.

"Your Christmas presents."

"What?"

"I do provide for those under my protection. Ask Dick. If he wasn't so proud, he'd get more but I fully intend to treat you as if you'd come from my own DNA. You will receive Christmas presents."

"Oh my goodness!" Jinx was super happy and Sebastian's powers fed off her energy.

"No." Bumble Bee put a pin in that. "We don't need your money."

Jinx could have cried.

"Mommy!" Calvin pulled on her jeans. "Presents!"

"Stop that." Bumble Bee tapped his nose. "If we do this, I'm looking for an emotional connection; not a sugar daddy."

"What's a sugar daddy?" Charlotte wanted to know.

"A man that gives you money and buys you things but isn't your father or family member."

"Oh. But he's going to be your daddy now, right? Can't you take presents from your daddy?"

"Ha!" Jinx threw herself on Bumble Bee, nearly sending both of them to the floor. "She's got you there! Stop blocking! I want presents!"

Rita and the girls snickered.

"Fine." Bumble Bee rolled her eyes. "If you still want her for a reason I can't fathom, you can buy her presents but not us."

"Mommy?" Calvin's bottom lip trembled and his eyes watered.

"Who do you get this from?!" She huffed. "If you want to get Cal and Marco things, I guess that's a grandparent's prerogative but I don't need anything."

Bruce was completely amused, even if he didn't show it. "You sound like Dick."

"That's not so bad. I've always wanted a big brother."

Nightwing rubbed the back of his head. "I've always wanted a sister. I thought Raven would be it but she had to get another father-"

"Richard!" Raven glared at him.

"But you're pretty awesome, Bee. I have to warn you though, you're getting him. And Jason and Tim. And now Damien and Selina. But you get Alfred."

"Alfred is amazing." Bruce agreed.

"Alright." Bumble Bee smiled. "I don't know how to go about getting adopted so I'll leave everything up to you. Make sure Damien gets the cream. And ask someone at a toy store what's appropriate for a two year old and a ten week old. I'm not trying to have my children die."

Bruce nodded. "I can contact my lawyer today but proceedings probably won't start until Monday. I'll contact you tomorrow to wish you a Merry Christmas then I'll call you then to let you know what steps we're taking."

"Okay."

"Bye, new Daddy!" Jinx teased.

Bruce turned an interesting shade of prune as he couldn't quite wrap his mind around that. "Batman signing off."

Bumble Bee waved before closing the communicator and giving it back to Nightwing. "Your dad's weird."

"He's going to be your dad soon." Nightwing took it and put it away. "I'm sorry now."

"I'm not!" Jinx got up to dance. "I got a rich new daddy! I got a rich new daddy!"

Everyone chuckled at her antics before Clark stroked his chin. "I know I may be late but adopting is much more legal than surrogate."

"What do you mean?" Alan asked.

"I mean I have three children but if something happened to me today, only Conner will get anything from my estate. I don't have much but I'd like all of my children cared for and my grandchildren, too."

Alan nodded. "I understand."

"What does that mean?" Changeling wondered.

"It means that I want to look into adopting you and Kori." Clark said lightly.

"Really? Can you do that? Steve is my adoptive father."

"He'd just have to sign his rights away."

Rita sighed. "He'd probably do it."

"Really?!" Changeling grew excited. "Alright!"

Starfire clapped gaily. "I am very much happy with this news! Brother and I will truly be yours?"

"Yes, you will." Clark smiled.

"What do you say, Stone?" Alan elbowed him. "Want to make this official?"

Cyborg laughed. "I don't know. My dad might not sign."

"I can convince him." Alan was sure. "I'm very persuasive."

"If you think you can." Cyborg held his hand out.

Alan slapped it before using it to come in for a hug. "This is great!"

Rita pouted before brightening. "Starfire…?"

"Yes, Brother's mother?" Starfire looked over from hugging Clark happily.

"If you haven't found a mother you really like, I'm available." Rita traced a shape onto the table.

Starfire frowned in confusion. "I do not understand. You are available?"

"To be your mother." Rita tried to play it cool.

It was quiet exactly three seconds before Starfire let out a superhuman scream and torpedoed into Rita. "Yes! Yes! I have always wished for a closeness between my mother and myself! We can go to the mall of shopping and paint our nails and practice hair styling rituals and-!"

"Yes, Starfire!" Rita laughed and patted her back. "We can do all of that but you have to let me breath so I can live to."

Starfire backed away before hugging her again. "Christopher and this new bumgorf will have a grandmother!"

Bumble Bee made a considering face. "Well I can ask my mom if she wants to adopt Nightwing and Jinx. I mean if we all have the same father, we might as well have the same mother."

"Really?" Nightwing was a bit blown away. He could have a mother again?

Jinx hugged Bumble Bee. "Thanks, Bee."

"No problem." Bumble Bee rubbed her back.

Alan slung an arm around Terra. "What do you say, little lady? Bruce was right. Every man needs a little girl."

Terra burst into tears and hugged him. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"I feel a little left out." Kid Flash told Raven.

"You already have someone and I have two parents already." She reminded him. "I think they need this."

He lifted his shoulders. "I'm happy for Slowpoke. For all of them."

Raven watched her husband converse with his parents and sister. "Me too."


	3. Snow Angels

"What do you think?" Bumble Bee waited.

Shayera Hol (Hawkgirl) blinked. "I am not from Earth."

"But you have citizenship."

That much was true. Confusingly true… "Yes."

"I know it might be a lot to take on four other children. But Nightwing, Jinx and Jason are all adults. The only real hitch might be Tim."

"And they all want this?"

Bumble Bee nodded. "We've been without parents for a really long time. It's scarred us really. This is a chance to have what we lost."

"And you want Bruce to be your father?" Shayera smirked.

Bumble Bee chuckled. "I can handle Batman."

"I have no doubt but Bruce is a different animal."

"Nightwing will help us."

Shayera nodded. "Okay. But I want visits as well. Both Bruce and Clark got visits from their children and spouses this summer and I would like visits as well. So would Diana but she's got to talk to Raven on her own behalf."

"Are visits all you require?" Bumble Bee didn't believe that.

"Stop being so suspicious. It's all I require at the moment."

"Is that an "us" problem or a "them" problem?"

Shayera laughed.

Bumble Bee just looked at her.

Shayera really laughed. "It's a "them" problem."

Bumble Bee lifted a shoulder and stood. "We might as well go and tell them. They've got to wonder why I haven't brought you up."

"Thank you for talking to me privately and not bringing it up in front of them."

"I don't like to ambush people. It's rude."

Shayera laughed and stood. They walked to the door of the random room they were in and went towards the elevator. "How are Cal and Marco?"

"Coming along. Cal's getting a grip on his powers and emotions and Marco is up to sleeping three hours a night."

"He's two and a half months. Shouldn't he sleep longer?"

"Not yet. It's touch and go the first few months so anything goes. I'll start to worry in two months."

Shayera leaned against the back of the lift. "Kara is coming."

Bumble Bee lifted a brow. "Clark's cousin? That's random."

"No, I was supposed to tell him that she was coming tomorrow."

"She doesn't have Christmas plans?"

"She does but she's making time." Shayera looked guilty.

"I'm not looking at you. You don't have to come on Christmas at all. We're glad you come period."

Shayera hugged her to her side. "You'll be my favorite."

Bumble Bee giggled. "I should be. The other ones are weird."

Shayera laughed. "Stop that!"

Bumble Bee danced in place.

"You are a handful. What did your first mother do with you?"

Bumble Bee hunched a shoulder. "I don't know."

"She had to have had a lot of fun raising you."

Bumble Bee's lips lifted briefly before she stepped out of the lift. "They're in the common room. It's nearly time for our second training period of the day."

"What'll you do after that?" Shayera followed her.

"Hang out until dinner then we'll make cookies and open presents."

"I wish I didn't have to leave. I'll stay for a few days next year. Cal and Marco would like that, wouldn't they?"

"So would Chris. He's really looking forward to having a grandmother. And so would any child Jinx and Kid get. They're shortlisted to adopt."

"Alan told me."

Bumble Bee slid her a look before stopping at the common room doors. "My mom, his dad. We're not the Brady Bunch."

Shayera was totally confused. "What does that mean?"

"Look it up." Bumble Bee passed through the doors. "Look who's here, everybody!"

Shayera made a mental note to check out "the Goggle" and see what Bumble Bee was referencing later but slapped on a smile now.

 ** _#happyholidays_**

"Hey?" Cyborg wrapped an arm around Bumble Bee and ignored when she stepped away from him.

"What?" She took a covered pan to the fridge. After years of having a small counter-high fridge, the Titans had gotten an industrial sized large steel fridge four years prior. It made storing food much easier.

"Can you handle clean up? Us guys were thinking of patrolling then going to hang out."

She turned to him and he took a step back. "What about the cookies?"

"Well yeah but we- there's- um-" He stopped. "We can stay."

"If you want to go, go." She went back to putting away food.

"Is this the thing where you want me to do what you want but you want me to decide on my own?"

"Just go." She sighed.

"Right." He tapped his index fingers together. "Kiss?"

She patted his cheek. "You're in the way."

"Yeah." He slumped out, looking behind him forlornly.

The adult males left while the kids played in their designated space.

"What was that?" Jinx asked after it was unanimously silently decided that she would speak.

"What was what?" Bumble Bee stuck more food in the fridge.

"I know you're not lovey dovey but usually you'll kiss him. Or at least bite his head off about leaving us to clean the kitchen and watch the kids while he and his friends hang out."

"I'm tired and I have a headache. I don't have time to play games."

"Are you sure?" Terra asked.

"Very." Bumble Bee got to work washing dishes.

"I can feel your emotions." Raven started.

"Please don't. I hate Guess That Emotion and I don't like other people knowing how I feel without me telling them."

"I can respect you wanting privacy but I can't turn it off."

"I'll try to feel less."

Raven didn't mean that and wasn't sure that was a good idea.

"Are you sure you're alright, Lola?" Shirley asked.

"I- I gotta take some aspirin or something." Bumble Bee rinsed her arms and hands before palming the side of her head. "Can you watch them while I go pop a couple tabs?"

"We can do that, yes." Starfire agreed.

Bumble Bee left.

"What's she feeling?" Jinx demanded as soon as the doors closed.

Raven side-eyed her. "I'm not telling you her private feelings."

"Come on! She's obviously feeling something and she won't tell us!"

"Because it's none of our business…?"

Jinx gasped, taken aback.

"Jinx, it's none of our business."

"Would Bumble Bee not press us for answers in order to help us when we are in need?" Starfire asked.

Jinx snapped her fingers. "Yes! Yes, she would!"

"Guys, she's all about respect." Terra wasn't sure. "And she's scary. Like a lot."

"I do not want her yelling at you when you inadvertently make her angry." Raven added.

"That's hurtful! We're not going to make her angry!" Jinx snapped.

"You push boundaries, Jinx!"

"But she's like a young female Hitler without the racism. She'd totally make us talk if it was us going through something."

"She is not Hitler. She's supportive. And we can support her by leaving her alone."

"No way."

"I agree with Friend Jinx." Starfire nodded. "She is in need of our friendness."

"Starfire,-" Raven sighed.

"Guys, I agree with Raven. She's never responded to people backing her into a corner." Terra didn't want to do this.

"We are not backing her into the corner." Starfire urged. "We are being there for our friend when she needs us! Is that so much to ask for?!"

The women were taken aback by her sudden crying.

Shirley hugged her gently. "What's wrong, cherub?"

Starfire sobbed. "I do not like my friend hurting!"

"Who said she's hurting?" Raven pointed out.

"I say something's up and we won't know until we strap her down and make her talk." Jinx sassed.

Raven groaned.

The doors opened and Bumble Bee walked in. She went to the sink and began washing dishes again.

"Maybe we should table this conversation-?" Rita whispered.

"Friend, why are you saddened?!" Starfire demanded.

Bumble Bee raised an eyebrow and turned. "What?"

"Why are you saddened?" She repeated.

"What-? I'm not sad. Why would you think I'm sad?"

Starfire opened and closed her mouth. "But you seem so downtrodden. You refuse to kiss Cyborg and you have a headache and you are quiet."

"I'm not downtrodden." Bumble Bee frowned. "I didn't kiss him because I didn't want to. Everybody gets headaches. And finally; are you calling me loud and obnoxious?"

"No!" Starfire recoiled.

"What do you know? She didn't take it well." Raven gave Jinx a look.

Jinx sighed. "Look, Bee, we're not saying you're obnoxious or whatever. You just seem like a wet blanket."

"We don't agree with them!" Terra made sure the nearly twenty one year old knew she and Raven weren't in on this.

"I have a major headache and I don't feel like explaining to you all the reasons why you're pissing me off." Bumble Bee said slowly. "Let's just finish cleaning this kitchen and get started on the cookies so we can open presents and go to bed."

"You are angry." Starfire pouted.

Bumble Bee narrowed her eyes. "I'm angry."

"That's not fair!" Jinx bit off. "If one of us were upset, you'd drag it out of us!"

"Leave me alone."

"But-!"

Bumble Bee's fingertips sparked.

"Fine! Be bent out of shape and see if we care!"

Bumble Bee glared at her before turning around.

"Shoot; I thought that'd work." Jinx frowned.

"Just stop, Jinx." Terra pleaded. "She's really mad."

"She could be deflecting."

Raven tapped her arm. "She's really mad."

Jinx scowled.

 ** _#happyholidays_**

"Why are we down here?" Kid Flash demanded.

"Because I need to talk to you." Cyborg kept checking the elevator nervously.

"What's going on?" Changeling asked.

Cyborg sighed. "I don't know about tomorrow."

"You don't know about Christmas?" Alan raised a brow.

"No. I'm proposing to Bee tomorrow. Or at least I was."

"Congratulations! Wait. Was?"

Cyborg leaned against a workbench and sighed. "I don't know. She doesn't seem to want me around today."

"You're willing to call off plans of making her your wife because she doesn't like you today?" Clark gave him a look.

"It sounds stupid when you say it like that!"

"That's because it's stupid." Nightwing told him.

Cyborg glared at him.

"I think what tall, dark and unable to communicate is trying to say is-" Changeling wrapped an arm around Cyborg. "There are days where Rae can't stand the sight of me. And there's days where I'm not her biggest fan either. But we love each other anyway and being married is something that really works for us."

"He's right. I'm sorry, Cyborg." Nightwing apologized. "I'm just saying that relationships aren't easy but you can't let that stand in the way of your love."

"It doesn't seem like a big deal to me." Kid Flash shrugged. "Jinx hates me on a daily basis. But she said yes."

Cyborg chuckled and grinned. "She did."

"Yep." Kid Flash beamed.

"I'm trippin, ain't I?"

"Big time. She's going to say yes and then you guys are going to plan the perfect wedding and have the best marriage. Right after mine."

"What?! No way!" Changeling and Nightwing exclaimed. "My marriage is amazing!"

Cyborg laughed. "Okay! You guys talked me into it!"

Alan threw an arm around his neck and hugged him close. "I'm proud of you, Stone! Nothing like being with the woman you love!"

"How would you know?"

Alan's eyes widened and he grinned. "Nothing! No! Um-!"

Clark laughed. "Painted yourself in a corner there, didn't ya?"

J'onn sighed and shook his head. His teammates and their love entanglements gave him a headache.

 ** _#happyholidays_**

"It smells good in here!" Kid Flash announced.

"It smells like cookies, genius." Jinx concentrated on icing one.

"I know, babe." He zipped over to her. "Can I have one?"

"No. Go away." She elbowed him away from her.

"Please? Please? Please?"

She groaned and gave him the half finished cookie. "Here! Go away!"

"You're mean tonight." He munched.

"I am not!"

BumbleBee made a noise.

Jinx turned her head sharply and narrowed her eyes. " _I'm_ not the mean one!"

"Jinx!" Terra begged.

Jinx folded her arms and lifted her nose.

"What's going on?" Nightwing whispered to his wife.

"We have angered Bumble Bee." Starfire whispered back.

He grimaced.

"Did you have fun hanging out?" Bumble Bee asked Cyborg.

Who burned himself on a cookie. "Uh… yeah. Just needed to chill for a bit. No big."

"Good. I need you to keep an eye on Marco for a while after this."

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Outside."

"Outside where? I mean outside the tower or-?"

"What does it matter?! I won't be in here!" She turned to him with her fists on her hips.

"Okay!" He raised his hands. "I'll be vigilant."

"Thank you." She went back to frosting.

He looked to the guys, who mouthed platitudes to him. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know, Sparky. Maybe one hour, maybe two?"

"Okay. Will you check in so I know you're safe?"

"Fine."

"Mommy?" Calvin reached over and plopped a cookie in front of her. "That's for you."

Bumble Bee picked it up. "Thank you, baby." She kissed his cheek.

Cyborg's lips pursed. So she was just angry with him… He knew it.

"Do we have enough cookies to put out?" Raven wondered.

"You frosted a lot." Changeling looked over the table. "You didn't leave any for us to do."

"You never said if you'd be here for it."

He allowed that. "You kids ready to give Santa his cookies?"

The young children cheered. "Yay!"

Starfire got the platter and held it in front of each of them. They each found a favorite cookie and placed it on the decorative plate.

"I'll get the milk." Terra offered. "What kind do you think Santa will like this year?"

"Almond milk!" Charlotte yelled.

"Goat milk!" Teether teased.

"Cashew milk!" Christopher shouted.

"Rice milk!" Calvin screamed.

"What's so wrong with cow's milk?" Melvin was disturbed.

Nightwing was Santa this year and spoke up. "Nothing. I think cow's milk will be a good choice."

Terra giggled as she grabbed the container. "You think Santa wants a break from all the different milks this year?"

He stared her down.

She beamed as she poured a glass.

"Come on, guys. Let's set this snack in the common room and we'll pick out our one present."

The kids ran from the kitchen to the tree and started shaking gifts.

"You know how to get them moving." Rita laughed.

"I know how to speak their language." Nightwing smirked.

The adults followed them from the kitchen with the treats and sat around while the kids opened one present each.

While they were exclaiming over what they'd gotten and played with whatever it was, the women went next.

Bumble Bee grabbed a present and gave it to Cyborg. "It's from me."

Cyborg was surprised and unwrapped it. He opened the box and was surprised. "This is an old radio."

"Not exactly. It's a radio but not old."

"But it's shaped like the old ones from like the '50s."

"I know. I did it on purpose."

"Where did you even buy this from?" He marveled over it.

"I didn't. I mean I bought the parts but I made it."

"You made it?!" His jaw dropped.

"Yeah." She shrugged lightly. "I know how much you like music and I thought you'd like a portable music device with an old flair. It uses batteries and plays digital music. The knobs really work."

"You _made_ this?!"

"Say something else."

"Whoa!"

She smiled briefly. "Do you like it?"

"I love it." He turned it over and opened the battery hatch. It took three and they were nestled inside. He switched the radio on and music flowed. It was classic rock. "Hey! It works!"

"Of course it works."

"You made this?" He was still stuck.

"Sparky!"

"Okay! I just- when?!"

"Hmm. I started a while ago. I drafted the model first then built a prototype then began constructing it. But then I was helping you with Titans East's T-S2 and then Marco was born so I just recently finished it."

"I just can't believe this. You know how to build machines? Why'd you let me explain tools to you if you know how to use them?!"

"It made you happy." She lifted a shoulder.

His human heart pumped extra hard. She did all this for months just because she loved him? Maybe he was getting the wrong vibe from her? Maybe she wasn't sick of him? "Thanks, Bee."

"You're welcome."

"What present did you get?" He was close to crying, he was so touched.

She peeked at the label. "It's from Cal."

"Open it."

She ripped the paper from it and smiled. "It's a framed picture of my favorite drawing from him."

He looked at it. "I helped him do it."

Bumble Bee kissed him. "Thanks, Sparky."

Cyborg lit up. He was definitely doing this. By this time tomorrow, he was going to be engaged.


	4. Snow Bunny

Raven's eyes flew open.

"Hi, Mommy!" Charlotte waved.

Raven relaxed. "You're up."

"Uh huh. I got Bas."

"Charlotte, I've told you to stop picking him up." Raven sat up.

"I didn't. I let the crib down and he crawled out."

Raven's lips thinned. Of course the little girl found a loophole. Raven sighed. "Let's wake your father up."

Charlotte grinned and hopped over to the green man. "Wake up, Daddy!"

Sebastian threw himself atop him. He made sounds beyond his pacifier.

Changeling snored on.

Charlotte stood on his back and began jumping. She made sure not to step on her little brother. "Daddy, wake up! Wake up, Daddy! It's Christmas!"

She accidentally stepped on his head and he couldn't breathe for a few seconds. That woke him up. He raised his head and looked around blearily. "What-? What's going on?!"

"It's Christmas, Daddy!" She landed on her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Aw yeah!" His voice was gravelly from sleep. "You gotta get off me, Charlie."

She slid from his back and folded her legs under herself.

"What's on my back?"

"Bas!" She giggled.

Raven dragged the baby off him. "You can get up now."

Changeling rolled over and poked his daughter in her cheek. He blew a raspberry.

She giggled and fell over. "No, Daddy! We have to go open presents!"

"Alright. Are we going with our usual plan? We wake up Uncle Wally and Aunt Jinx and have them wake up Chris and his parents while we wake up everybody else?"

"Yes!"

Changeling booped her nose then pinched Sebastian's cheek. Both children squealed. Changeling sat up and threw the covers off. "Let's do this!"

They all got off the bed and Raven threw on a robe before they all left. They went down the hall and hooked a right.

Changeling banged on Jinx's door. "Wake up, Jinxie!"

After a full minute of him calling out embarrassing nicknames and banging on her door, she finally answered. "What?!"

"It's Christmas." His eyebrows wiggled before he went to Kid Flash's door.

Her fingertips began sparking…

Sebastian threw himself forward and Raven had a hard time holding him. She realized he wanted Jinx so she handed him over.

Jinx smiled and took him. "Your daddy is about to get killed."

"Why do you do this to me?!" Kid Flash answered his door.

"It's Christmas, bro!" Changeling did jazz hands.

Kid Flash broke out in an infectious grin. "Yes! It's going to be so awesome!"

Changeling high-fived him. "Go wake up the Graysons! We'll handle Terra and the Stones!"

Kid Flash snickered. "I love when you say that."

Jinx returned Sebastian to Raven and whistled. Kid Flash noticed and sped over to her and began kissing her cheeks. "Get away from me."

"No. I like you too much." He nuzzled her.

"You better."

"Look at them." Changeling wrapped an arm around Raven and set his chin on her shoulder. "It's not as fun when they're not fighting."

"Bean stalk!" Jinx glared.

"Fighting _each other_!"

Raven shook her head. "Let's just go get Terra."

"Yay!" Charlotte pulled on Sebastian's leg for Raven to put him down then when she did, the little girl pulled her baby brother over to the blonde's door and banged like her father. "Aunt Tara! You gotta wake up! It's Christmas! Daddy'll open all your presents!"

Changeling laughed. "That's my girl!"

Jinx and Kid Flash laughed before going to awaken the Grayson family.

Terra opened her door with a yawn. "What's going on, guys?"

Changeling did a dance and ended up on one knee with wide outstretched arms. "It's Christmas!"

Terra shook her head before remembering that she liked Christmas. "Oh yay!"

He got up. "You go upstairs with the others. We'll get everyone else."

Terra hugged the kids before racing off to the elevator.

"Does this mean we're waking everyone?" Raven wanted to know.

"Oh yeah!" Changeling grinned.

"They're going to want to strangle you."

He felt his neck. "Hmm."

 _ **#happyholidays**_

Changeling ran into the common room. "Nana's going to kill me!"

"You woke her up." Cyborg had no sympathy. "That's always dangerous."

"She wasn't like this last year!"

"I was already awake last year!" Shirley grumped and she walked in stiffly.

Raven wore a small smile. "Get him, Nana."

"I was having such a peaceful sleep, too." Clark was crabby himself. It was one of the first nights he'd had without a screaming baby waking him up.

"Gar, you sure know how to make friends." Rita quipped.

He pouted. "They're mad at me, Mom. Make them stop."

Rita laughed. "You should have let them sleep."

"But it's Christmas! Everyone should see the kids open their presents!"

She cupped his chin. "Stop waking people up."

He sulked.

"Since we are up,-" Nightwing yawned. "You kids should check if Santa came."

The children cheered before tearing the room apart. They found no trace of milk and cookies but they found plenty of things in their stockings.

"Give me a drumroll, buddy!" Changeling shouted.

Cyborg smirked and patted his legs.

"It's present time! Dive in and let 'er rip!"

The kids ambushed the tree and well… let it rip. They tore into their presents and exclaimed over their gifts.

"I need caffeine…" Shirley muttered.

"You seem like such a morning person." Raven was surprised.

"Only when I'm fully awake." She grumped.

Raven kept her smile to herself. She didn't exactly greet the day with open arms either. "I can put on a kettle for tea."

"I'll help you. I can hardly keep my eyes open."

"I can help, too. These kids aren't paying us any attention." Rita stood.

Starfire floated and Nightwing had to pull her down. "My mother is making me the tea!"

He smirked but he knew how she felt. He'd soaked up attention from Shayera the day before. But he'd never admit it aloud. "Yeah, your mom is making you tea."

 ** _#happyholidays_**

"Are you okay, bro?" Changeling asked.

Cyborg felt terrible. "There's no snow."

"Maybe we can-? freeze water?" Kid Flash tried to come up with a solution.

"So we're going to throw blocks of ice at each other?" Jinx deadpanned.

"Not helping, Slowpoke!"

"Daddy sad?" Calvin looked up at his father.

"There's no snow, Little Man." Cyborg huffed. "Not even a smattering."

"Hmm." Calvin frowned.

"I guess we should go back inside. There's nothing to do out here."

"Wait!" Starfire pointed to the sky. "It is snowing!"

"It's not gonna stick." Cyborg wasn't holding out hope.

"I don't know." Nightwing looked at the ground. "It's getting thick."

"No way." He didn't believe it.

"Seriously, Cy." Changeling turned him around. "Look!"

Cyborg looked around, completely unimpressed until he realized the snow was already coming up to his calves. How was this possible?! It just started snowing!

"It's crazy!"

"How is this possible?!"

Bumble Bee looked down and touched Calvin's cheek. He opened his eyes and looked up at her with a hopeful expression. "Daddy happy now?"

Bumble Bee smiled as she looked at the cybernetic craftsman. "Yeah, Daddy's happy now."

He beamed. "It worked!"

"I see." She knelt down and hugged him. "How'd it feel to use your powers on purpose for the first time?"

He thought about it. "Kinda weird. But Daddy happy."

"Good boy." She kissed his cheek.

He smiled. He had a headache now but as long as his father was happy, he didn't care. "Thank you, Mommy."

 ** _#happyholidays_**

"I don't know if I like coming over here during the holidays." Clark sniffed. "You make me cook."

"Don't you cook for yourself anyway?" Changeling frowned.

"I try to avoid it as much as I can."

"I used to but being in other galaxies and on different planets meant I couldn't have food I was used to so I had to learn how to cook for myself." Alan shook his head.

"Star." Nightwing whispered with wide eyes.

The guys fell out laughing (even though he was serious).

"I think cooking is fine." Kid Flash shrugged.

"Yeah but you suck at it so you get to help with prep only." Cyborg took the spoon away from him.

Kid Flash sulked.

J'onn nodded. "Fret not, young one. I'm not exactly an Iron Chef."

Changeling gasped. "You know about Iron Chefs?!"

"Raven told me you and Starfire love the series so I began watching. Bobby Flay is my favorite."

"He's kick-butt, right?!" Cyborg grinned.

"No!" Changeling cried. "I could take that guy!"

"Please!" Cyborg scoffed. "It's a reason why everybody tries to beat Bobby Flay! Cuz they can't!"

"Let me go on that show! I'd wipe the floor with him!"

"He'd Robert Irvine you!"

"Excuse me? What?" Clark interjected.

"Robert Irvine is an Iron Chef and he had his own show, saving different restaurants around the country. He was brutally honest."

"I'd take him down, too!" Changeling was completely riled up.

"What?!"

"Guys, you get into this every time we cook." Nightwing sighed. "Can we just agree to disagree?"

"No!" Changeling was stubborn. "Pick a side!"

"Changeling,-"

"You're either with me or against me!"

Nightwing sighed heavily.

"I'm with Cy." Kid Flash said. "You cook good, C but let's be honest."

Changeling gasped.

"Don't be like that."

"Ha!" Cyborg yelled in the verdant veggie muncher's face.

Changeling growled. "Well, 'Wing?!"

"If I side with Cyborg like anyone with sense, you'll say we're all against you so I guess I choose you." Nightwing rolled his eyes.

"I'll take it!"

"What have I done?"

Clark, Alan and J'onn snickered.

"The point is moot anyway." Cyborg rolled his eye. "Dinner's ready."

Changeling made faces at him. "We'll continue this later!"

"Leave me alone, Lettuce Head!"

Changeling stuck his tongue out. "Metal Butt!"

"Guys!" Melvin jumped into the kitchen. "Is dinner ready yet?! Bas is chewing on the playpen and I think Teether is about to join him."

"You're only happy cuz that twerp came by to see you."

She balled her fists. "Stop talking about Thaddeus!"

"Don't nobody care about him." Cyborg snorted.

Changeling slapped hands with him.

"You're just mad that you can't cook!" She yelled.

Kid Flash and Nightwing fell out laughing.

"Why? Why would you hurt me that way?" Changeling put a hand to his chest.

Melvin lifted her nose. "Is dinner ready yet, _Cyborg_?"

Cyborg kept his mirth to himself. "Yeah, you girls can come set the table while we go get dressed."

"Thank you!" She turned on her heel. "Humph!" She ran out.

"That little devil!" Changeling was offended. "How dare she say I can't cook?!"

"Would you relax? I'm freaked out enough without you messing me up." Cyborg started loading the dishwasher to prepare for washing during dinner.

"Why are you freaked out?"

Cyborg gave him an incredulous look.

"I can't believe I forgot! You're _proposing_ after dinner!" He hissed.

"Yeah, genius."

"Just calm down, Cyborg." Nightwing shook his head at Changeling. "It's scary at first but once you get into it and just start telling her the truth, you'll forget it's in front of other people."

"I'm only doing this because it's in front of you guys and hopefully she'll let me out of saying personal vows." Cyborg was completely serious.

"We know." Nightwing, Changeling and Kid Flash said.

"You'll do great." Alan put his hands on Cyborg's shoulders.

"Great at what?" Bumble Bee asked as the girls came into the kitchen.

"Cleaning up?" Cyborg hoped that was a good enough lie.

"The kitchen?"

"No. Getting dressed."

"Oh. I'm sure you'll do great, too."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, babe."

She winked at him.

That lifted his spirits. "Let's hit it, guys!"

 ** _#happyholidays_**

Cyborg patted the ring box in his pocket and waited a full minute after the last person finished their meal before getting up. "I have an announcement."

Everyone turned to look at him, his bros smiling to encourage him.

"My life wasn't smooth sailing and I never felt good enough for my father. After my mother died, I felt very alone. Then I had my accident and I thought that was it for me. My life would just be awful and I'd have to just get used to it.

Then I met four people that would change my life forever and because of them, it led me to someone I never thought I'd find.

Bee, you know it takes a lot to impress me and you really have. You're a great girlfriend and an even better mom. Because of you, I have two sons. I didn't even think I'd have children and you gave me two. I'll always love you for that.

But I love you for plenty of reasons, being the mother of my children only topping the list. You're smart and kind and understanding. You're fun and sporty and competitive. You're into music like I am and we push each other to be the best we can be.

You challenge me and I really like that because I know I couldn't be with a boring girl. And you're definitely not boring.

I feel like I'm learning more about you every day and I'm honestly okay with that because I love it all. I love you. So-" He went to her and got down on one knee and brought out the ring box. He opened it. "Will you be my wife?"

Bumble Bee stared at him for a total of two minutes before she got up and flew out.

He frowned in confusion. "What?!"


	5. Snowballed

Cyborg stood up and faced the door with a confused frown.

"I'll go talk to her." Jinx offered.

"Perhaps someone with a gentler touch should see about our friend?" Starfire suggested.

"Someone that hadn't made her mad earlier." Terra added.

"We can talk to her." Kid Flash put in the bid.

"Who is we?" Nightwing set his chin on his fist.

"Us! We can do it!"

Everyone began arguing about who should be the one to talk to Bumble Bee, except Cyborg, who was honestly still in shock and Raven, who slipped out while they were yelling.

The blue eyed sorceress floated to the elevator and rode it down one level. She got off and flew to the left before stopping in front of a door that had a wealth of emotion emitting from behind it.

She knocked. "Bumble Bee?"

It was quiet so she knocked again. The electric hum of feeling changed to surprise then dread.

"It's Raven." Raven announced herself.

The dread faded but the surprise remained. Curiosity joined it as the door slid open. "Hey."

"May I come in?"

Bumble Bee turned and walked to the bed.

Raven came inside then closed the door behind her. She sat on a chair.

Bumble Bee sat on the bed very carefully and crossed her legs. She stared at her knee as she tried to get a handle on her emotions.

"I know you're trying to suppress them but it's not working." Raven said after a full minute of ebbing and flowing emotions.

"I should go." Bumble Bee shot up.

"Go where?"

"I don't know. Out."

"What about Marco? You can't leave him and Cal."

She sat heavily and sighed. "I'll do better."

"It's not about that." Raven licked her lips. "Sometimes talking through the feeling can lessen its impact."

"There's nothing to feel. I'm fine."

"Really? Because I'm getting fear, panic, terror, confusion and most different from you, embarrassment and it's like a tidal wave."

"I'm not- I'm not any of those things." Bumble Bee denied.

"Bumble Bee- Karen, I won't tell anyone how you feel."

Sirens went off and both girls looked up.

Bumble Bee swallowed. "I guess that's your cue. I'm fine. Really. Go defend the city."

Raven stared at her, the emotions the older girl was experiencing hadn't lessened and a new one grew… loneliness. "They don't need me."

"Raven, go. I'm fine."

Raven did something she'd never done before. She invaded someone's personal space. She sat next to Bumble Bee on the bed. "You said I was better at talking to people than I thought. You obviously feel you can't talk to Victor. Talk to me."

Bumble Bee was surprised at her but got over it quickly as her emotions pulled at her. "Did he really just… do _that_?"

"Propose?" Raven said the word.

Bumble Bee blushed. "Yeah."

"Why are you embarrassed by that?"

"I'm not embarrassed. I don't do embarrassment."

"I can feel you." Raven reminded her.

"Fine." Bumble Bee's blush worsened. "He said all that stuff in front of you guys. And he was looking at me and you all were looking at me."

"And that embarrassed you." Raven nodded.

"Yeah, I guess." Bumble Bee looked away and shrugged.

Raven stared at her before realizing something. "You're quiet."

"What? Now? I guess?"

"No. Your personality. You're a quiet person."

Bumble Bee scoffed. "No, I'm not. I'm as loud as the guys."

"When you're being competitive or being bossy."

Bumble Bee turned her head sharply.

Raven raised a hand. "My daughter is the same way. She's loud when it comes to getting what she wants but usually very quiet."

"When have you ever heard me be quiet?"

"A lot." Raven narrowed her eyes. "You're not around us a lot. I've noticed you spend time alone quite a bit. I've run across you while trying to find my own solitude."

Bumble Bee didn't know that and her embarrassment hiked.

"You work out alone, you read as much as I do alone, you spend time with your sons alone. You're usually alone in the common room when I come to read to Charlotte. You're alone much of the time."

Bumble Bee was silent.

"And you are quiet. You're very opinionated but unless we ask first, you usually don't say anything." Raven was surprised herself at all the signs she missed. "How did we not know this about you?"

"You're crazy. I'm always talking."

"About things that we ask you about. You don't volunteer information. Unless it's relevant."

Bumble Bee chewed on her thumb.

"You're introverted."

"I'm very outgoing."

"Why? It obviously isn't natural to you."

Bumble Bee stood up and walked to a bookcase. She pulled out a book and flipped through it without actually seeing any of the pages. "Okay, yeah. I'm to myself a lot. So what?"

"Why put on this persona? It's not who you are."

"It is and it isn't." Bumble Bee put the book back. She folded her arms across her chest and tapped her toes. "Growing up I was shy. I kept to myself and was very… geeky, I guess. I read all the time and did things around the house. I was two when my brother was born and I was used to being by myself.

My parents had just bought our house in our neighborhood so I didn't know anybody. I was by myself. I didn't really care because I knew how to read. I taught myself a few months prior and I read anything I could. It was a getaway for me."

Raven understood that completely.

"We'd been there about a year when my daddy thought I should make friends. I was going to be going to preschool soon and I was a homebody. I got it honestly because both of my parents weren't very outgoing.

But Daddy said I had to get out and meet people because _you can't survive this world on your own._ So he'd take me and CJ to the park and it was really awful at first. He wouldn't let me take any books and he kept trying to push me on other kids.

I wouldn't talk and of course they thought I was weird. One day, he made me bring my soccer ball. I loved playing soccer so I was happy to have something to do.

This boy, who had to be around five, stole it from me and I did not handle it well. He said if I could steal it back, he'd let me have it. I had to accept. He was good but I was better. I stole the ball then bounced it off his face and told him to keep his mitts off other people's property. He cried.

When we came back, kids were in awe of me. Seemed he ran the playground and I was the first person to stand up to him. I vowed right then that I would always stand up for myself and speak my mind.

I made a few friends that day and I realized that if I'd just spoken up, I would have had friends from jump street. He probably wouldn't have stolen my ball.

But that's neither here nor there."

"You became an extrovert by necessity." Raven said slowly.

Bumble Bee lifted a shoulder. "I guess."

"You know I was very to myself when the Titans formed. It took years for me to open up. But I'm still like that. I suspect you are, too."

Bumble Bee took out another book. "Change is hard."

"So you were embarrassed because he called attention to you."

Bumble Bee almost let her think that. "Partly."

"Partly?"

Bumble Bee put that book back and walked to a window. "I'm very self aware and try to be as honest as I can be. With myself and others. But I'm flawed and I will hide from what I don't like even as I try to force myself through it."

"That seems complicated."

"It is…"

"And what is your self awareness telling you?"

"That I'm not good with emotions. I try to be upfront with them in hopes that they'll leave me alone."

Raven let out a chuckle before clearing her throat. "I'm not sure but I don't think that works."

"It really doesn't." Bumble Bee sighed. "I've- I've been to therapy before. Quite a few times actually. And I have steps I should follow and a load of other things. It gets quite annoying."

"Is that why you weren't as put out as the others by Nightwing making us receive help?"

"I guess. Just something else to go through."

"That had to be a relief though. It was something you understood."

"I'm more private than I let on. We didn't share in my family. At least not with outsiders. In our house, we were free to be who we really were. A bunch of antisocial weirdos. But outside? we shut down. We were a wall that kept out the world. Even our beloved neighbors didn't know us the way they thought they did."

"Why? Why was there such secrecy?"

"My father had a strict upbringing. A lot like Sparky but without Nana and his caring mom. He learned to keep everything inside so no one could hurt him."

Raven nodded. Again, she understood. "And your mother?"

"She lost her radical parents at a young age and was raised in Italy by her grandmother. Who was a bit of a… eccentric. She was free and very loving. If you understand me."

"I don't." Raven admitted.

"She was a busy bee. Pollenating different flowers."

Raven was very confused for a moment. Her eyes widened. "Oh!"

"Yep. They moved around a lot because her grandmother would find a lover and something would go wrong and they'd have to leave town. They just ended up coming back to America when my mother was seventeen.

She still got around but Momma was able to go to college the next year and she swore she'd never be so flighty. She learned how to have a thick skin and not depend on emotions so much. Daddy was her first emotional decision."

"Both had difficult upbringings and it effected the way they raised you."

"I think they just wanted to warn us. So we wouldn't make the same mistakes. So _they_ wouldn't make the same mistakes." Bumble Bee tapped the glass.

"You have practice in repressing your emotions, don't you?"

"Little bit."

"Why do you need me to help Cal separate his emotions if you know how?"

"My powers aren't emotion based. I just know how to calm down and shift through my emotions. I don't know how to separate my emotions from my powers."

Raven nodded. "That explains your embarrassment."

Bumble Bee sighed. "I would just rather fade into the background."

"Understandable. Now why did you panic?"

Bumble Bee leaned her head against the glass. "Can't we start with something easier?"

"Why were you afraid?"

Bumble Bee's panic rose.

"You're going to have to talk about it with someone. You can't avoid him forever."

She swallowed. "My parents' relationship wasn't perfect but it was the best one I've ever seen. Every one I've seen since they died has been a mess. I'm not partial to messes. I believe in logic and science. My favorite subject was math because math is concrete. Two plus two would always be four. It was dependable."

"Which relationships definitely aren't." Raven admitted. "Are you like Nightwing?"

"No. No. No. More than I want to admit to."

Raven couldn't help smiling. "Did you understand all the grief he put Starfire through?"

"I wish I could say he was insane but he had some pretty good points. I know I could never say my vows in front of a bunch of people. I couldn't even have a big ceremony."

"I had my wedding at a courthouse. You don't have to convince me."

Bumble Bee turned around. "I know I have commitment issues but I never thought it'd come up. Sparky has so many of his own issues that I sort of hoped he'd be too twisted to ask."

Raven's brows rose. "You really hoped he'd never ask you to marry him?"

"It sounds terrible. I sound terrible. But yeah. I thought I could avoid… _this._ "

"Well you didn't."

"I know!" Bumble Bee began pacing. "Where did he even get the idea for this?!"

"Everyone else is engaged or married. Maybe he feels it's time?"

"Other people being married is a terrible reason to get married!"

"It is. But do you love him?"

"Yes." Bumble Bee answered without hesitation.

"Then maybe you have to see what you're really so afraid of?"

 ** _#happyholidays_**

Cyborg trudged into the common room. The battle had been long and very annoying. When he first got home, he had to fill out the reports. He knew it was Nightwing's way of giving him alone time.

After, he'd gone to see about Calvin and Marco. Both were asleep. It was two in the morning after all. He'd bypassed his room, afraid of what would happen if he went in.

So he came up to the common room. He sat on the window seat and looked out at the night. He'd picked the box up from the table and now held it, switching between looking at the tree's lights' reflections in the window and the twinkling of the amethyst.

He sighed heavily.

The doors to the common room opened and Bumble Bee floated in. She saw him immediately, even though it was dark. She hovered over to him but stopped when he turned.

He stared at her for a moment before turning back to the night.

She landed and walked to the seat and sat across from him. It was really quiet for ten minutes. "The first time I saw you, you were being heckled by Jinx, Gizmo and Mammoth. You lost your temper and broke the table.

I thought to myself; why are bad guys so appealing? Brother Blood took a special interest in you and even though he's one of the most evil guys I've ever come across, it meant something. Then I found out you were a Titan.

I'd look up stuff on you guys. I was interested. It was never a thing but I just thought about you time to time. Then Brother Blood highjacked your blueprints and we got to meet again.

I can admit to flirting a bit. I had a boyfriend at the time but it was innocent. I knew you had that crush on Jinx and it probably wouldn't go anywhere.

But we kept crossing paths and I saw parts of you. Parts of you that would fit parts of me. I remember the first time I realized I might like you. We were watching the tower for you guys while you looked for the Brotherhood of Evil.

In the midst of searching for the big bad, you wanted to make sure the tower was okay. I remember thinking it was cute instead of ridiculously annoying and it hit me that I might have a crush.

We just got closer over the years and it never went away. I didn't think anything would come of it and then the kids happened. I was so set on keeping Cal and even though everything in you told you not to, you decided to keep him. You were willing to grow and be something for somebody that you didn't really even know.

I thought to myself; wow! This is a man. Even if I just co-parent with him, my mother would be proud.

And I've tried to be a good girlfriend to you. I know I'm not easy to be with and I tried to be who I thought you needed."

"I didn't need you to be anyone other than who you are." He spoke up.

"I know but you don't know all of me. There's some distinctly not loving parts to me. That's not on you. That's my baggage."

He frowned. "You're always on me about sharing the load. That we're in this together. Our relationship, us being parents. Why won't you rely on me?"

She swallowed and sniffed. "I could say I don't know. I could say it's the way I grew up. But it's just me. I'm incredibly difficult."

"You are."

She glared at him.

He grinned. "But so am I. So is everybody on this team. Not one of us is normal. Which I think is what this city, the world needs. What we need.

I'm sorry if I scared you with my proposal. I didn't mean to. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you. If you don't want to be married, we don't have to be. Just don't break up with me cuz I kinda love you a lot and I'd be really messed up if you did."

She gave a soft laugh. "I have to be honest with you."

"Okay."

"When you proposed, I was super terrified. I was scared and I panicked. Which wasn't fair to you. I shouldn't have run out like that. I was just overwhelmed and had to leave."

He took her hand. "It's okay."

She squeezed his. "It's not. Because I never gave you an answer."

"You don't have to. We can pretend I never asked."

"Would you just shut up and let me say yes?"

He blinked at her before his mouth fell open. "You say yes?"

"I say yes." She made eye contact.

His human heart beat fast and his computer heart tried to relegate it. "You say yes?!"

"Sparky!"

He pulled her forward and kissed her before whooping loudly. "Booyah! She says yes! She says yes!"

She laughed lowly. "You are so loud. You're where Marco gets his lungs."

"You can't get out of this one! You said yes! No take backsies!"

She kissed him. "No take backsies."

 ** _#happyholidays_**

Shirley and Rita stared at Cyborg when he came in with the newspaper, whistling. "Morning, Nana! Ms. Rita!"

Both looked to each other before eyeing him. "Good morning. How are you?"

"I'm great on this beautiful day after Christmas day!" He set out the papers and grabbed his coffee before making Starfire's tea.

"Would you like to talk?" Shirley asked.

"What do you want to talk about?" He prepared the tea then filled a sippy cup with orange juice.

"What would you like to talk about?" She didn't understand his mood and hoped he hadn't snapped.

He shrugged lightly before going for potatoes and peeling them. "I'm thinking we make hash potato logs like at Funky Monkeys. We can get the potatoes really dry and they'll fry better."

"Hmm." Shirley didn't want to upset him so if he wanted to ignore it, so would she. "I can make omelettes for everyone."

"That'd be great. Rave hasn't mastered omelettes yet. It's all in the wrist."

Rita was completely confused. "Are you having a good morning?"

"Completely. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"It went okay. How about you?"

"I slept awesome."

"Morning of goodness, friends." Starfire inched in. "How was your slumber, dear Friend Cyborg?"

"It was perfect, Star." Cyborg hugged her. "I had such good dreams. You?"

"I-uh I suppose my dreams were of quality."

"Good morning, Uncle Vic." Christopher climbed into his chair.

"Morning, Chris." Cyborg patted his head.

Raven opened her eyes and floated over. "Good morning all."

The others responded but watched Cyborg warily.

"How did you rest, Cyborg?"

"Really good, Rave." Cyborg smiled at her.

"Really?" She lifted a brow before smiling. "Good. I'm glad you had a good night."

"Thanks for everything."

Raven picked up the soap her pride conjured. "You're welcome."

All was quiet as the others worked but still watched Cyborg carefully.

Nightwing and Jinx walked in and on their heels was Bumble Bee with Calvin and Marco. Everyone stilled as they waited for what would happen. They were gobsmacked by what did.

Bumble Bee kissed Cyborg on the lips and told him good morning. She hipchecked him as she went to the fridge for breastmilk and looked back to wink at him.

He winked back and continued forming potato logs.

Everyone but Raven stared in complete shock.

Bumble Bee flew into the common room to feed Marco on the couch and Cyborg went about preparing to fry the potato logs. Raven made pancakes.

The others looked between all three, utterly lost. But they said nothing and went about their morning. Eventually Raven left to go get her children and the visiting trio. By the time they came back, Changeling was coming in.

The jade jokester was quiet but was taken aback by his friend's jovial mood. He wanted to ask if he was okay but wouldn't in front of people. So he went about his morning, biding his time.

Clark, Alan and J'onn entered with Terra. All four were especially quiet and made sure to be subtle.

Too bad Kid Flash didn't get that memo. He'd waited six seconds after he'd come in to announce that "this" was "freaky" and everyone was acting like "pod people".

Jinx had to agree. "He's right. What's going on?"

"With what?" Cyborg asked.

"With you two. Like everything was so crazy last night and now it's like nothing happened."

"Nothing happened." Bumble Bee set Marco in the playpen then flew over. She held up her left hand. "Except this!"

Jinx and Starfire screamed. Terra breathed a sigh of relief. Raven smiled.

Shirley, Rita and the guys were blown away. "No way!"

"Yeah. We're engaged." Bumble Bee wrinkled her nose in happiness.

Starfire torpedoed into Bumble Bee and hugged her. "I am the gladdened for you both! Matrimony is truly the bliss! We have to plan immediately!"

"We got engaged five hours ago." Bumble Bee pushed her away gently. "We can just be engaged for a while."

"But you must plan!"

"We will. Just not right this minute."

Changeling blew out a breath and hugged Cyborg. "Congrats, buddy! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks, man." Cyborg patted his back.

"Good on you, Stone." Alan clapped a hand to his back.

"Yeah, I thought you guys were done for." Kid Flash breathed deeply.

Nightwing facepalmed. "I'm happy for the both of you guys."

"Thanks, 'Wing." Cyborg grinned. "Now everybody, sit! Soup's on!"


End file.
